Traveling is one of life’s pleasures, most of the time. Seeing new sites, meeting new people, and enjoying different types of food is all part of the fun experience. What is not so fun is when you arrive home and discover that you have brought home some unwelcome souvenirs. A souvenir is a reminder of where you have been. Trust me when I say, when you bring home bed bug souvenirs, you will not ever forget that fateful trip!
In today’s world, travelers must be on high alert and watch for bed bugs in every mode of public transportation and in every sleeping establishment. Bed bugs are hitchhikers that are quite adept at hiding in the tiniest of cracks and crevices. They have an amazing ability to sense when a good meal ticket has arrived on the scene so it is wise to be on the constant look for bed bugs.
In airplanes, bed bugs have been known to hide in the headrest covering, along the sides of the seats, under cushions, in the pillows, and in the blankets provided by the airlines. At the very minimum, travelers should swipe their hand along the sides and back of the seat cushion and under the headrest cover in hopes of dislodging any bed bugs that could be hiding before taking a seat.
Bed bugs have also been discovered in airline cargo areas, so it is important to not bring your luggage straight inside once you arrive home. For soft sided luggage, take a wire brush and scrub the outside of the luggage piece to dislodge any bed bugs or their eggs. Quickly and carefully vacuum the luggage and the surrounding floor to pick up any critters that may have been dislodged.